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1998-04-29 - How's That Gift I Gave You?
Every night I put my kids to bed. It's just been a habit of mine, a tradition
of sorts, and actually a great "quality" time for the kids and me. Last night
after reading to my six-year-old I noticed something in his closet. It was
his favorite much sought after, bribed, and probably even prayed for Christmas
present. But I saw that present sitting there unopened -- His Star Wars
Battleship game was tucked away in the bottom of the closet. Has it been
that long since Christmas? Then I thought, gee, I agonized over whether to
get that gift for him, but he wanted it so badly, I relented to his wishes.
But now, just four months later, the gift is just a dust-gathering piece
of plastic tucked away in a closet. It made me feel, well, unappreciated.
I laid there and wondered how God the Father feels about the free gift of
salvation we accepted when we do nothing with it? How does God feel when
we accept the gift, then after the newness wears off, we let it gather dust?
And then I wondered more deeply, how does Jesus feel when He sees the gift
we accepted from Him, the gift that He bought for us with His life, the gift
that He was faithful to go to the Cross so we can have it, gather "dust."
Ouch. It must be very painful to Him.
The gift of salvation and eternal life is free. Salvation changes the direction
our life is headed, but in my opinion, discipleship is what changes our character
and us. Just what is discipleship? It is simply following Christ, living
a Christ-like life. Its when our words and our deeds match up perfectly.
It's the last command He gives us before ascending to heaven. Go and make
disciples in the entire world. I am pretty sure He meant for us to start
with ourselves first.
So great David, tell me to be perfect, yeah right. No, I am not saying we
need to be perfect, although that is the ultimate goal, the goal that we
will only reach in Heaven. I am saying that we need to be more than just
"hitchhikers" to heaven. We need to live out our lives as fully-devoted followers
of Christ. Hey, don't take my word for it, let's see what the Bible has to
say about this.
James 1:22-25 (NCV) Do what God's teaching says; when
you only listen and do nothing, you are fooling yourselves. Those who hear
God's teaching and do nothing are like people who look at themselves in a
mirror. They see their faces and then go away and quickly forget what they
looked like. But the truly happy people are those who carefully study God's
perfect law that makes people free, and they continue to study it. They do
not forget what they heard, but they obey what God's teaching says. Those
who do this will be made happy.
Quite a promise -- we will be made happy if we continue in His word and apply
His word to our lives.
2 Peter 1:5-8 Because you have these blessings, do your
best to add these things to your lives: to your faith, add goodness; and
to your goodness, add knowledge; and to your knowledge, add self-control;
and to your self-control, add patience; and to your patience, add service
for God; and to your service for God, add kindness for your brothers and
sisters in Christ; and to this kindness, add love. If all these things are
in you and are growing, they will help you to be useful and productive in
your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Peter is saying, because you have this great gift, do your best to apply
the gift to your life.
Romans 12:1-2 I URGE you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable
to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed
to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you
may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and
perfect.
Paul urges us not to be conformed to the world around us, but rather be
transformed by the application of God's word.
1 John 1:5-7 Here is the message we have heard from Christ
and now announce to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at
all. So if we say we have fellowship with God, but we continue living in
darkness, we are liars and do not follow the truth. But if we live in the
light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other. Then
the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from every sin.
John is very plain in his words. If we continue in our old ways, if we don't
do something with the free gift, then we are liars. I don't know about you
all, but these passages sure motivate me to dust off my gift and try to be
a little more Christ-like each day. It's the least we can do to show our
gratitude for what He has done for us. Is it time you opened your gift from
God?
Father forgive us for not using our free gift. Forgive us for putting
You in a closet or a desk drawer, only to take you out on Sundays. Fill us
with Your Spirit as we seek to be Christ-like in our everyday living. Give
us Your strength and Your wisdom. In Christ's name. Amen.
David |
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